April 10, 2004
From: Australian Broadcasting Corporation [edited]
<http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/stories/s1081305.htm>

New wheat virus discovered in southern Queensland

A wheat virus new to Australia has been found at the Leslie Research Centre in Toowoomba, southern Queensland. Scientists say the High Plains virus (HPV) is often found in conjunction with wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), discovered for the first time in Australia early in 2003. It has similar characteristics, causing streaking and mottling on leaves, but doesn't cause any major yield loss.

Chris Adriaansen from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, referring to a radio transcript from ABC National Rural Hour, says it's likely HPV has been in Australia for some time. It was found on 1 plant in 1 glasshouse at Leslie Research Centre, and that plant was isolated and destroyed. He says that testing will be done throughout the Leslie Research Centre, as was done with WSMV.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation(CSIRO) has also been testing their material in Canberra, and there is an expectation that further testing will reveal HPV in other locations in Australia.

[The fact that HPV has been detected in Australian wheat is not surprising. It has been recorded in the Americas, and there are unconfirmed reports of its presence in Russia. HPV can cause severe disease in barley, maize, oats, rye, and some grasses. Disease management depends upon interrupting the life cycle of the mite vector (_Aceria tosichella_) by plowing down volunteer wheat seedlings at least 2 weeks before seeding the next crop. The mite cannot survive in the absence of susceptible hosts for more than 24 hours. At present there is no information on how HPV presence will affect wheat production in Australia. Time will tell.

An intriguing aspect of this report is that HPV appears to share some properties of a group of filamentous, eryiophyid mite-transmitted viruses (fig mosaic, thistle mosaic, rose rosette, redbud yellow ringspot, and wheat spot mosaic, all transmitted by _A. tosichella_ ) and possibly pigeonpea sterility mosaic, transmitted by _A. cajani_, and known to infect pigeonpea crops in India.

There is little information about the structural properties of HPV and others in the group. Relevant information about this group would be welcome. Let me know, please.
References:
<http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000006/49/0000064983.html> 
<http://nematode.unl.edu/PPATHPER/Hpv.htm> - Mod.DH]